Lock



L. B. SHINN May 19, 1931.

' LOCK Filed July 19 1930 V V/AI /I/A ir Patented May 19, 1931 a LYLE B. Siam-N,

UNITED STATES:

PATENT oFFlcE LOCK Application filed July 19,

switch, transmission, spare tire carrier or doors of an automobile, and. comprises (1) 'a cylindrical casing which is adapted. to be mounted fixedly in place; (2) a plug which is rotatable in the casing and has transverse ly extending'slideways in the inner portion thereof; (3) a plurality of tumblers which are stamped from sheet metal, fit slidably in the slideways and have central slots therein through Which the key for the lock is adapted topass; (4) springs which are disposed in recesses'or sockets at the sides of the slideways and operate to force thethe key-operable tumblers are provided fao tumblers towards the casing; and (5) a device or element at the inner end of the plug which. operates to':permit the plug to be withdrawn from the casing so that it may be repaired or another plug witha different" .key combination may be substituted in its stead.

One object of the invention is'to provide.

a lock of the aforementioned type in which with improved means whereby they are held in connected relation with respect to the 'plug'and are prevented from being ejected from the slideways by the springs when the plug is removed from the casing for repair or replacement purposes. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock of the type hereunder consideration in which the holding means for. preventing ejectment of the tumblers from the slideways in the plug consists of tongues which are formed integrally with and project outwardly from the tumblers and coact with the lugs for guiding the key through the interior of the plug. j

A further object of the invention is to provide an automobile lock which is generally of new and improved construction, may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and is animprovement upon previously designed locksof a similar character.

Other objects of the invention and the 1930. Serial No. 469,083;

various advantages and characteristics .of

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO LOCK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS the present lock construction will be appar-- w cut from a consideration detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and of the following are more particularly defined by the claims I at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or. disclosure and in which like. numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective View of a lock embodying the invention, the plug and cas ing being shown in disconnected relation for purposes .of illustration; v

Figure 2 is a .vertical longitudinal section, showing in detail the manner in which the tongues on the tumblers coact with the guide lugs for the key to hold the tumblers against displacement with respect to the slideways;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 andv Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the plug, showing the key'for the lock in-the plug.

The lock which forms the subject matter of the invention is designed primarilyto be used in connection with any of the various elements of an automobile which are to be lock controlled, such, for example, as the v ignition switch,-tr ansmission or spare tire carrier. It comprises a cylindrical casing 7 and a plug 8. .The casing is adapted to be built into or formed integrally with the.

element that is to be lock-controlled, and has -formed in the central portion thereof a longitudinally extending bore 9. The plug larged circular head 10. This head fits in an annular recess 11 which is formed in the outer or front end of the casing 7 and is slightly larger in diameter than the bore 9. An annular recess 12 is formed in the inner or rear end of the casing. This recess is.

substantially equal in diameter to the recess 11 and is defined at its front end by an annular shoulder 13. A slot 14 for receiving completely through the plug, as. illustrated out of its locked position by the key. In addition to the longitudinal groove 22, the

in Figure 2. Each of the tumblers 16 consists of a pair of side bars 16, an end bar 16 and an end bar 16 which together form a central slot 16 through which the key 15 is adapted to pass. When the key 15-is inserted into the plug, the tumblers 16 are shifted so that the end bars 16 and 16 are aligned with the periphery of the plug and thus permit the plug to be rotated into I and out of its locked position. The tumblers are pressed outwardly with respect to the plug by means of springs 19. These springs are disposed in sockets 20 and abut against ears 21 which are formed integrally with and project laterally from the tumblers. The sockets 20 communicate with the slideways 18, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The casing"? is proVided'along the bore .9 with a longitudinally extending groove 22 into which the end bars 16 of the tumblers are forced by the springs 19 so as to-lock the plug against rotation. When the key 15 is inserted into the key slot 14, the end bars 16 of the tumblers are engaged by the notched portion. of the key and are shifted so as to bring the tumblers into a position wherein the end bars 16 are withdrawn from the groove 22. In this position of the tumblers the plug is free so that it may be rotated casing has formed therein a longitudinally extending groove 23. ThlS groove 1s posi- "tioned diametrically opposite the groove 22 -and is adapted to receive the end bars 16 of the tumblers when the key 15 is withdrawn after it is used to rotate the plug into its unlocked position. The front ends of the grooves 22 and 23 communicate with the annular recess 11 at the front end of the casing so that the plug may be inserted into the casing and removed therefrom for repair or replacement purposes. The key 15 is guided into and out of the plugby' a series of lugs 24. These lugs are disposed at one side of the key slot 14 and are formed integrally with the, portions of the plug that define the slideways 18 for the key-open able tumblers. The key 15 has alon-gitudinal groove 15* at one side thereof for receiv ing the lugs as it is inserted into thekey' slot 14. A stud 25is connected eccentrically to the inner or rear. end of the plug. This.

stud is adapted to; be connected to a bolt orlocking element and operates upon rotation of the plug into its locked position 'to throw, the bolt for locking purposes.

The special tumbler 17 is disposed at the" inner or rear end of the plug and operates to prevent axial displacement of the plug after insertion of the latter into the casing. It is preferably stamped from plate metal and is mounted slidably in a transversely extending slideway 26. The latter is formed in the inner or rear end of the plug and is arranged so that the tumbler 17, when shifted outwardly, engages the annular shoulder 13 that defines the front end of the recess 12. The special tumbler is forced outwardly into engagement with the shoulder by means of a spring 27. This spring is disposed in a socket 28 at one side of the slideway 26 and abuts against an ear 17 which projects laterally from and is formed integrally with the tumbler 17. The central portion of the special tumbler is provided with. a slot 29 for receiving the end of a special key (not shown) of the character specified in an application for Letters'Patent of the United,

States filed by me May 19, 1930, and serially numbered 453,431. The special key is somewhat longer than the regular key 15 and operates when inserted into-the plug and the plug is in its unlocked position to depress the special tumbler so that-the plug may be withdrawn from the casing for repair or replacement purposes.

To prevent ejectment of the tumblers from the slideways 18 by the springs 19 when the plug is withdrawn from the cas ing and the key 15 is removed from the key slot 14, tongues 30 are formed on the tumblers.- These tongues coact with the guide lugs 24 and are formed by striking outwardly the inner parts of the end bars 16 during stamping of the tumblers. In assembling the lock the key-operable tumblers 16 are inserted into the slideways 18. Insertion of the tumblers into the slideways is effected by placing the end bars 16 into engagement with the slideways and then forcing the tumblers downwardly so that they are disposed in their operative position. During the initial shift of the tumblers into place, the outwardly projecting tongues 30 engage the guide lugs 24 and are forced inwardly. After being forced past the lugs, thetongues spring outwardly into a position wherein they coact with the lugs to hold the tumblers inconnected relation with respect to the plug and against ejectment by the springs when the plug is removed from the casing and the key is withdrawn. The tongues are so formed that the tumblers 16 have limited sliding movement within the slideways 18 and are free to be forced outwardly by the springs 19 into a position wherein the end bars 16 are disposed in the groove 22. or the groove 23. By utilizing the guide lugs 24 for abutments for the tongues, the construction is simplified. The special tumbler 17 is held in connected relation with respect to the plug and is pre- Vented from being ejected when the plug is withdrawn from the casing by means of a tongue 31. This tongue is similar in construction to the tongues on the key-operable tumblers; and cooperates with the inner or rearmost guide lug 24, as illustrated in Figure 2.

In assembling the lock, the special key is used to depress the tumbler 17 and the plug with the special tumbler in its depressed position is inserted into the casing 7 Upon removal of the special key from the key slot 14 in the plug the spring 27 forces the special tumbler outwardly into engagement with the annular shoulder 13. Rotation of the plug in the casing is effected by inserting the regular key 15 into' the key slot 14 so as to shift the tumblers into a position wherein the end bars 16 and 16 are aligned with the inner periphery of the casing. When it is desired to'repair or replace the plug 8, said plug is first shifted into its unlocked position and then is removed from the casing by use of the special key. Upon removal ofth-e special key, the key-operable tumblers and the special tumbler are shifted outwardly by the springs 19 and 27 'Ejectme'nt of the tumblers, however, is prevented by. the tongues 30 and 31 which engage the guide lugs 14 as previously pointed out and thus limit outward movement of the tumblers.

The lock herein disclosed consists of but a comparatively small number of parts and therefore may be manufactured at a low cost. made for holding the tumblers in connected relation with respect to the plug and against ejectment from the slideways, the plug may be removed from the casing without danger of losing the tumblers or springs.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the" scope-of-the appended claims, without departing from the,

spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a lock, the combination of a casing havin a bore extending longitudinally theret rough, a plug rotatable in and re,-

Tn .view of the fact that provision ismovable from the bore and having formed therein a longitudinal slot for a key and a series of transverse slideways intersecting the slot, spring pressed substantially flat tumblers mounted slidably in the slideways and adapted to lock the plug against rotation in the casing, said tumblers being formed of metal stampings and having central slots therein through which the key may be inserted in order to shift the tumblers into having a bore extending longitudinallytherethrough, a plug rotatable in and removable from the bore and' having'formed therein a longitudinal slot for a key, spring pressed tumblers. for locking the plug againstrotation in the casing mountedmovably in the plug and having central slots therein through which the key may be inserted in order'to shift the tumblers into an inoperative position, and tongues on the keyengaged portions of the tumblers arranged" to engage and coact with parts of the plug to hold the tumblers in connected. relation with the plug and prevent ejectment upon v I removal of theplug fromthe bore.

3. In a lock, the combination of a casing having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a plug rotatable in and removable from the bore and having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot for a key, lugs in the plug-for guiding the key in the slot, spring-pressed key-operable -tumblers mounted movably in the 'plug and adapted to lock said plug against rotation in the casing, andmeans on the tumblers adapted to engage and, coact with the guide- -lugs to hold the tumblers in connected rela-' tion with the plug and prevent ejectment upon removal of the plug from the bore.

4. In a lock, the combination of a casing having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a plug rotatable 1n and re movable, from the'bore and having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot for" a key, lugs in the plug for guiding the key in the slot, spring-pressed key-operable tumblers mounted movably in the plug and adapted tollock said plug against rotation 1n the casing, and tongues on the key-engag-- ing portions ofthe tumblers adapted to engage and coact with the guide-lugs to hold the tumblers in connected relation with the plug and prevent ejectment upon removal of;

the plug from the bore.

5. In a lock, the combination of a casing having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a, plug rotatable in and removable from the bore, said plug having formed therein a longitudinally extending key slot and a series of transverse slideways intersecting the slot, lugs in the plug and between the slideways for guiding the key in the slot, spring-pressed key-operable tumblers mounted slidably in the slideways and adapted to lock said plug against rotahaving a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a plug rotatable 1n and retion in the casing, andtongues on the tumblers arranged to engage and coact with the lugs to hold the tumblers in connected relation with the plug and prevent ejectment upon removal of the plug from the bore.

6; In a lock, the combination of a casing movable from the bore and having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot for a key, lugs in the plug for guiding the key in the slot, key-operable tumblers mounted movably in the plug and adapted normally to lock said plug against rotation in the easing, a spring-pressed device for holding 'the plug against axial displacement in the 7 casing, mounted-in the plug and releasable so that said plug may be removed from the bore, and a tongue on the element arranged toengage and coact with one of theguide lugs to hold the element in connected relation with the-plug and prevent ejectment upon removal of the plug from the bore.

7 In a lock, the combination of a casing having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a plug rotatable 1n and removable from the'bore and having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot for a key, tumblers. for locking the plug against rotation in the casing, mounted movably in the plug, operable by the key, a special spring-pressed tumbler for holding the plug against axial displacement in the casing,

' mounted movably in the plug and adapted by means of a special key inserted through the slot to be rendered inoperative so that the plug may be removed from the bore, and a tongue on the special tumbler arranged to engage and coact with a part of the plug to hold said special tumbler in connected relation with the plug and prevent eject- Ironent upon removal of the plug from the ore.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 17th day of July, 19309 a i I LYLE B. SHINN. 

